Mine roof supporting method



m 1957 K. T. JASPER ETAL 3,313,114

MINE ROOF SUPPORTING METHOD Filed Feb. 4, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ap 11,1967 K. T. JASPER ETAL 3,313,114

MINE ROOF SUPPORTING METHOD Filed Feb. 4, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG? FlGIG United States Patent 3,313,114 MINE ROOF SUPPORTING METHOD KarlTheodor Jasper, deceased, late of Hagen, Germany, by Gert Haarmann,administrator, Hagen, Germany, Hans Werner vom Felde, and Hans Bnttner,Hagen, Germany, assignors to Bergbaustahl G.m.b.H., Hagen, Germany, acorporation of Germany Filed Feb. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 342,870 Claimspriority, application Germany, Feb. 9, 1963, B 70,661 3 Claims. (CI.61-45) The invention relates to a walking support method for faceworkings, rearward and forward roof supports guided on one another beingadvanced alternately.

The present invention provides a method of this kind which can be usedwith frictional and hydraulic props and also with roof bars ofconventional construction, and the method differs from the knowncomparable walking support method for roofs particularly in that thewalking operation is effected without any interruption to the continuoussupport of the roof during any stage whatever. This means that unlikeconventional methods in which the roof supports props or frames-disposedsuccessively in the strike are alternately released and then have to bere-locked after advancewith a very unfavourable stress on the roofthelatter is protected, i.e., remains at rest practically until it issupported on the gob side in accordance with the program after acorresponding advance in working.

The method according to the invention consists basically in that theforward and the rear roof supports are each formed from two units, whichare disposed successively in the strike, and which are combined intogroups, and which each consist of a prop and a roof bar, the said unitsbeing disposed immediately side by side and staggered with respect toone another by the length of a unit at the maximum, and the forward unitof the rear group is released and moved out of this initial positionwhile being guided along the successive units of the forward group, asfar as possible so as to directly follow the advance of the coal face,so as to be brought into a position projecting beyond the forward unitof the forward group and then, after respective relocking and release isintermittently advanced further into the position adjacent the coal faceuntil the rear end of its roof bar has reached the forward end zone ofthe roof bar of the forward unit of the initially forward group,whereupon the rear unit of the originally rear group is guided along theother group units which still remain locked, until it is drawn along tobring it up to the forward unit. The two units of the originally rearand now forward group then form the guide for the advance of the unitsof the other group in the same rhythm. Thus in each stage of theadvance, there is an uninterrupted support for the roof which consistsof at least three units following one another in the direction of thestrike, these units remaining locked until the final phase of the ad-Vance.

The foremost unit may in the extreme case be in its position adjacentthe coal face in a position in which the rear edge of its roof bar isflush with the forward edge of the forward bar of the adjacent unit. Asa rule, however, there will be a certain degree of overlapping so thatthe guidance of the adjacent units on one another is not lost.

A particular advantage of the new method is that the elements of theunits used with this method, namely props and roof bars, are ofconventional construction, the only need for adaptation to the newmethod being that the roof bars of the adjacent groups are provided withinterengaging guide means, for example rails or the like, at theirmutually facing sides.

The roof bars of the units are preferably so underpinned as to load thehead of the roof bar towards the coal face. This improves the conditionsfor guidance along the adjacent roof bar. The props of the individualsets are of course provided with base plates or skids enabling them toslide over the floor in the usual way.

The double-acting intermittently extensible advancing cylinders arerequired in principle for the advance of the individual groups with theabove-indicated rhythm, one such cylinder being provided for each of thetwo groups and acting on one unit of the group, In development of theinvention, a single advancing cylinder may be provided which, after thecompletion of the advance of one group, performs the complete task, forexample by means of a cross-head provided on its piston rod and to whichthe unit of the other group to be advanced is connected.

It will be apparent that the steps by which the elements are advanced inthe various stages can be chosen to have any desired values, so that thenew method is equally advantageously suitable for stripping and forcoalgetting methods in which a wide exposed roof area is to be supportedas quickly as possible.

Moreover, the various steps in the advance need not be performed for thefull length in one operation, but may be divided up into a number ofshorter steps following one another at intervals. This particularly hasthe advantage that there is then no need to use an advancing systemhaving a very long extended length, but normal advancing cylinders of anextended length of 15 mm. may be used for the purpose. Other objects andadvantages of the invention will become apparent from reading thefollowing detailed description of the invention when considered in thelight of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic illustration, in plan view, of a minesupporting assembly comprised of three sets, each of which consists oftwo groups of supporting elements which are arranged in side-by-siderelationship in a typically supporting position;

FIGURES 2 to 5 show the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1 wherein theforward support units of one group of supporting elements on the lefthand side of the drawing are actuated through varying advancingpositions within the mine chamber to be supported;

FIGURE 6 shows apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1 wherein the rear unitsof the group on the left hand side of the drawings are advanced up tothe forward unit of the group; and

FIGURE 7 is similar to FIGURES 1 to 6 and shows the units of the groupson the right hand side of the drawing being actuated to differentpositions of support.

The accompanying drawings diagrammatically illustrate in plan view theconsecutive stages of advance with the new method. Each of the twoadjacent groups of roof supports consists of two units 1, 2 and 3, 4respectively and each of the units consists of a roof bar borne by aprop indicated just by a dot in the diagrammatic illustration.

The drawing shows in each case three sets, each of which consists of twogroups and which are arranged side by side at falling intervals, and theunits of which, as illustrated, can be advanced either simultaneously orindividually by means of the advancer devices (not shown)-advancercylinders or mechanical devices having a similar action.

It will be seen that in the starting stage, as illustrated in FIGURE 1,the two units 1 and 2 of the rear group are so disposed with respect tothe units of the forward group 3 and 4 as to be in a position in whichthe forward unit 1 of the rear group fully overlaps the rear unit 3 ofthe forward group. This position is not absolutely essential, however,and has been chosen only to simplify matters.

In the next stage, the forward unit 1 of the rear group is guided alongthe units 3 and 4 of the forward group until it initially reaches aposition, as illustrated in FIG- URE 2, on the coal-face side of theforward unit of the forward group, in which position it secures theexposed roof area. FIGURES 3 and 4 illustrate the next stages, in whichthe forward unit has been advanced additionally until in the extremecase the stage illustrated in FIG- URE 5 is reached. It should, however,be pointed out that the end stages which are shown in the purelydiagrammatic drawing and in which there is no overlapping of theadjacent units of the forward and rear groups, has been chosen only tofacilitate matters. In practice, there will always be a certain amountof overlapping and hence guidance of the adjacent units with respect toone another. a

In the positions illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5, respectively, the rearunit of the originally rear group is brought up into the positionillustrated in FIGURE 6, from which the advance of the initially forwardand now rearward group into the position illustrated in FIGURE 7, etc.,takes place in the same way as described previously.

It will be clear from the drawing that in each stage the roof iscontinuously supported, even during the advance operation, namely by theunits 2, 3, 4, in the stages illustrated in FIGURES l to 5 and by theunits 3, 4, 1 and 3, 2, 1, etc., in the stage illustrated in FIGURE 6,and the roof is also supported during the advance of a unit, in theimmediate vicinity of such unit, so that the roof cannot be disturbed bythe release of the advanced unit.

Since, as already stated, the new method can be performed withconventional props and roof bars, a pit can at all times be changed overto the new method while continuing to use existing support material andutilise the advantages of the new method without expensive investment.

We claim:

1. A walking support method for mine roofs, first and second roofsupport groups being laterally disposed and guided on one another andadvanced alternately, characterized in that said first and second roofgroups are each formed of at least two units disposed successively alongthe mine roof, each of said units comprising an elongated roof bar andprop means therefor, said successive units being capable of abutting oneanother and also capable of being spaced in relation to one another bythe length of two units at the maximum, wherein the forward units ofsaid first group is intermittently guided along said second group ofunits which remain in an unchanged position following the same along themine roof so as to be brought into a position projecting as far aspossible from the forward units of said second group so as to directlyfollow the advance of the coal face until its rear end reaches the zoneof the forward end of the front unit of said second group, whereupon therear unit of said first group is then guided along the units of saidsecond group until the rear unit of said first group is advanced up tothe forward unit of said first group, and thereafter the two units ofsaid first group remain in an unchanged position and form the guide forthe ad Vance of the units of said second group in the same rhythm, insuch a manner that in each stage of the advance the mine roof issupported continuously.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein each of said units consists ofa roof bar supportedby a prop, said roof bars of said units of one ofsaid groups being positively guided along said adjacent roof bar of theother group and being supported by its respective prop in such manner asto continuously support the mine roof.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the advances of each of saidunits is divided up into a plurality of relatively short advancesfollowing one another at intervals,

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,694,293 11/1954Perrin et al 61-45 3,186,179 6/1965 Vetter 6145.2

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,278,986 1961 France. 1,287,138 1962 France.

883,407 1961 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES Wiemann, German Printed Application No. 1,154,424,1963.

CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

JACOB SHAPIRO, Examiner.

1. A WALKING SUPPORT METHOD FOR MINE ROOFS, FIRST AND SECOND ROOFSUPPORT GROUPS BEING LATERALLY DISPOSED AND GUIDED ON ONE ANOTHER ANDADVANCED ALTERNATELY, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT SAID FIRST AND SECOND ROOFGROUPS ARE EACH FORMED OF AT LEAST TWO UNITS DISPOSED SUCCESSIVELY ALONGTHE MINE ROOF, EACH OF SAID UNITS COMPRISING AN ELONGGATED ROOF BAR ANDPROP MEANS THEREFOR, SAID SUCCESSIVE UNITS BEING CAPABLE OF ABUTTING ONEANOTHER AND ALSO CAPABLE OF BEING SPACED IN RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER BYTHE LENGTH OF TWO UNITS AT THE MAXIMUM, WHEREIN THE FORWARD UNITS OFSAID FIRST GROUP ITS INTERMITTENTLY GUIDED ALONG SAID SECOND GROUP OFUNITS WHICH REMAIN IN AN UNCHANGED POSITION FOLLOWING THE SAME ALONG THEMINE ROOF SO AS TO BE BROUGHT INTO A POSITION PROJECTING AS FAR ASPOSSIBLE FROM THE FORWARD UNITS OF SAID SECOND GROUP SO AS TO DIRECTLYFOLLOW THE ADVANCE OF THE COAL FACE UNTIL ITS REAR END REACHES THE ZONEOF THE FORWARD END OF THE FRONT UNIT OF SAID SECOND GROUP, WHEREUPON THEREAR UNIT OF SAID FIRST GROUP IS THEN GUIDED ALONG THE UNITS OF